Just Imagine: Two dead after US troops set iraqi prisoners on fire

SUBHEADS: New reports from Abu Ghraib prison include reports of deaths, all-night beatings, rape, electric shocks, tear gas used in confined spaces, and prisoners forced to eat their own hair and feces.

Imagine that? Unimaginable. Impossible. Far fetched. Yet this is precisely what happened in Venezuela, where the government first covered up allegations of serious abuse against opposition activists held in custody, and president Chavez then went out of his way to honor the "revolutionary courage" of those responsible, going as far as to give them medals for their role in the violence!

Que molleja, primo!

Editor's note: the aforementioned, however unthinkable, did not occur in Iraq but in Venezuela, and is true. Whilst the world is mesmerized by images of Iraqi prisoners being inhumanly abused, 8 Venezuelan soldiers were set on fire in extremely bizarre circumstances for either disobeying orders of Cuban militias or for having signed a petition geared at recalling President Chavez' mandate. Instead of ordering a minute investigation Chavez has repeatedly lied about the issue, playing down criticism as nothing but spin. Two soldiers are dead, six others badly burnt and away from the public eye. Such is the state of Venezuela under Chavez.